5: How to Search the Web - Find and Evaluate Web Sites

Determine if your instructor wants you to include Internet resources. Learn how to use search engines and subject directories to locate authoritative materials on the web. Books, periodicals and webliographies can also help to find appropriate sources on the Internet. Develop your search skills and practice often!

Evaluating The Web - Criteria for Evaluating a Webpage

Learn how to evaluate web sites by determining their authority, relevancy and currency:
UC Berkeley: Critical Evaluation Worksheet
Web Evaluation (from Wolfgram Library at Widener University)
Evaluating Websites for An Academic Paper/Publication (from Kresge Library at Oakland University)
Critical Thinking/Disinformation Resources on the Web (from Humbolt State University Library)
Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages (Cornell University)
NOTE: Unlike scholarly print periodicals and books, where the information is subjected to a process of review, anyone can publish on the web. Many web sites are also designed for commercial purposes and, consequently, are designed to influence!

General Information about Searching the Internet

Anatomy of a Web Address
Recommended Search Engines(UC Berkeley Library)
Choose the Best Search for Your Information Need
Finding Information on The Internet
Tutorial from the University of California's Library, Berkeley
How to Choose A Search Tool
Links to search engines, subject directories, internet tutorials and internet reference center. Site maintained by a former librarian at the University at Albany, SUNY.

Search the Web by Subject

Web subject directories containing sites suitable for college and university students. Some academic sites may contain a few links closed
to those who are not students at that institution.
Academic Info
Subject directory of over 25000 hand picked educational resources for high school and college students as well as a directory of online degree programs and admissions test preparation resources (SAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, USMLE, TOEFL).
Google Scholar
Search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations.
INFOMINE
Links to Internet resources relevant to university faculty and students.
Intute: Social Sciences
Guide to resources in social science compiled by a team based at the University of Birmingham.
Librarians' Index to the Internet
Searchable and annotated subject directory of Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians.
Open Directory Project
Sites selected by a global network of volunteers are organized by broad topics.
SAGE
A database of electronic resources licensed for University of California at SanDiego as well as many freely available on the Internet. These resources have been selected by our library subject specialists as being valuable for research by students,
St. Ambrose University Library's Best Information on the Net
Internet resources selected by librarians at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.
University of Delaware Subject Guides
Arranged alphbetically by subject.
University of Tennessee Subject Guides
Alphbetical arrangement by subject.
WWW Virtual Library
Volunteers compile pages of key links for particular areas in which they are expert.

Search the Web by Keywords

Use keywords in "search engines" to search large collections of websites. Different search engines go to different collections of websites. For updates on search engine features see Best Search Tools Chart.
AllTheWeb
Search tool which uses the Yahoo database offering news, picture, and audio searches.
ask.com
Searches for web sites, images, news, blogs, video, maps and directions.
clusty.comClusty queries several top search engines, combines the results, and generates an ordered list based on comparative ranking. Instead of delivering millions of search results in one long list, our search engine groups similar results together into clusters
Google
Large, popular search engine with many special features.
Hotbot
Searches, yahoo, msn and lygo.
yahoo.com
Categorized directory of websites and permits keyword searching.

Search the Web for Images

AllTheWeb Images
Berkeley Digital Library Image Finder
Ditto See the Web
Ditto provides a visual search of the web using pictures. Users are linked to the originating web site on which the pictures are located.
flickr
Many Flickr users have chosen to offer their work under a Creative Commons license, and you can browse or search through content under each type of license.
Google Images
Search engine of images on the web. Thumbnails of images are displayed based on the search keywords used.
Library of Congress: American Memory Collection: Photos and Prints

Selected Books In The Oakton Library

Academic Research on The Internet
Call Number: REF ZA4201.A216 (DP)

Extreme Searcher's Guide to Web Search Engines
Call Number: ZA 4226.H3 (DP)

Great Scouts! Cyberguides for Subject Searching on The Web
Call Number: ZA4201.P38 (DP)

Internet Power Searching:The Advanced Manual
Call Number: ZA4201.B69 (RHC)

Using the Internet, Online Services & CD-ROM's for Writing Research and Term Papers
Call Number: LB1047.3.U75 (DP)

Search Engines for the World Wide Web
Call Number: TK5105.882 M39 (DP)

Periodicals

Many general computer magazines have information about web search strategies, tips and techniques. Check the subject "Computers & Computer Science" in the periodicals subscription list or use Oakton's Online Indexes subject list to search for articles in magazines, journals and newspapers. Full text articles can be sent to your e-mail account.

Tip

You probably know a lot about the web already;there's definitely no lack of information about this subject! Look around you and notice the webliographies in your favorite magazines and web addresses mentioned on your favorite television and radio programs. Be sure to attend some of the Library's Got Research workshops this semester.